


Here With Me

by jf4m



Series: Here With Me [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Age Difference, Choose Your Own Adventure, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Power Imbalance, Sad with a Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2020-10-05 17:27:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20492537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jf4m/pseuds/jf4m
Summary: From mentor to lover, did Tony mean to have that happen?Based on the song, Here With Me, by The Killers.Newly updated and expanded! Want some sad angst? Chapter 1's is all you need! Want a happy ending? Chapter 2's here for you!





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to the fantastic and super amazing TellMeNoAgain for encouraging me to make this more than it was and fixing my crazy.
> 
> Updated 4/2020 with more content and a more complete storyline.

Tony stalks into the restaurant, happy to be out of the late August heat, and gruffly speaks to the host about his table. Pepper had called, just as he was parking, to tell him that his companion was going to be late. He hated waiting. He has better things to do with his time than wait for someone Pepper wanted him to impress, like he needed to impress more people. Tony rolls his eyes behind his tinted shades.

The host shows him to a table in the back corner and offered him the wine list as he sat himself against the wall, looking out into the restaurant. It was dark, with small candles on the table for ambiance. He took a quick glance around before contemplating his drink for the evening. Reaching for his phone to text Pepper about how this was a waste of his time, he heard a laugh. Really more of a giggle, but it was a sound that he would recognize anywhere.

Peter.

Taking his glasses off to look around the restaurant more closely this time, Tony sees him across the room, sitting with a boy about his age. Man, he corrects himself, Peter’s 21 now, and not a boy anymore. There’s a bottle of wine on the table between them and Peter’s face is flushed like he’s had more than the one glass in front of him.

_He looks happy_, Tony thinks sadly as he watches the way Peter smiles at the guy across the candlelit table. Happier than he was the last time Tony saw him. Tony looks down at his phone, still in his hand, half a message typed to Pepper, when he closes out the messaging app and opens his photos. Peter’s smiling face stares up at him from his favorite picture and he remembers when it was taken.

~~~

Peter jumped onto the couch next to him and swiped the phone right out of his hand.

“Say cheese Mr. Stark!” he had laughed out as he wiggled in closer, closer than the already hair's width distance between them, to Tony on the couch and snapped a selfie. Peter’s smile was large and it lit up his whole face. Tony wasn’t looking at the camera in the photo, too busy smiling at Peter.He should have known right then that he was in love with the boy, it might as well have been written across his forehead, by the look on his face in that shot.

But he hadn’t known then.

He had placed Peter and his relationship to the boy, squarely in the Mentor box and it had been that way for years.

Post Peter’s sophomore year, after the moving day incident, Tony did actually offer Peter an internship. The crash of the plane and fall out from the Vulture had made the buyer of the tower cancel their contract, so Tony had moved the R&D labs back into the tower. Since Peter had turned down the offer of being a full time Avenger, Tony wanted a way to keep tabs on the kid. Peter came to the tower after school every other week on Tuesday, since it didn’t interfere with his Decathlon practice. At first it was a little stilted, Peter still a little uncomfortable around his hero, and Tony unsure how to apologize about foisting him off onto Happy. Then, during the third month, Tony picked up a small glass container of webfluid that Peter had been modifying. Unthinking about what he was playing with as he worked with FRIDAY on a new suit modification, he dropped the vial as he tossed it between his hands. Peter reached for it as it fell, but wasn’t fast enough to stop it from shattering open. He was close enough to get caught in the small explosion of web fluid that now had him and Tony stuck to the floor in the lab. Peter, kneeling in the tangle of webs, slowly looked up at Tony who was now standing above him. He was scared to see Tony’s reaction, but relieved when he found him laughing.

“I’m so sorry Mr. Stark!” Peter says in a shaky voice.

“What in the world do you have to be sorry about Pete? I’m the one that dropped it on us.”

“It’s just, I’ve been working on making a longer lasting web formula Sir, and that was my final trial.”

“You got it to work then Pete? I know you’ve been working on it for a while now." Tony was proud of the kid, his voice giving that away, but it soon dawned on him what this meant. "So, how long are we stuck here for then?”

“Just over 4 hours at last testing,” Peter said shyly, not at all minding being stuck to Tony, but worrying more about how Tony felt being stuck to a teenager.

“Well, I guess we better get comfortable. Happy’s with Pepper at a meeting today, so there’s no one here to rescue us. And I’m not comfortable asking DUM-E to come at us with sharp objects, that’s just asking for trouble.” Tony laughed a little, shaking his head. Peter laughed along and settled in to wait it out, reassured that Tony isn't upset about their current predicament. “DUM-E!” Tony shouted toward his bot, “Roll me over a chair will ya?”

They end up talking that afternoon about a lot of things, Peter’s friends at school, things he liked to do outside of decathlon and being Spider Man, and Tony actually volunteered information about things he liked to do at 16, and what it was like at MIT with Rhodey. After that day, things were more comfortable in the lab.

One day after school, when Happy had dropped Peter off rather than have him swing over, Peter asked FRIDAY to bring him to the nearest place that had food, since he was _starving_. FRIDAY dropped him on the intern lab level which had the nearest breakroom with free snacks, so Peter walked in and helped himself.

While munching down on an apple, he looked over at the whiteboard with some incomplete formulas on it and casually grabbed a marker to finish them. By the time he was done with his second apple, there were 4 other interns standing behind him watching him work. They had never met this kid before and here he was correcting their work. Just as one made to ask him who he was, Tony walked in.

“Underoos! Where have you been? FRIDAY says you got here almost 20 minutes ago? Why do I need to come looking for you in my own building? And what are you working on?” Tony rapidly asked, eyes only on Peter.

An intern in the back spoke up, “That’s our thinking board Sir. It’s where we put work that we need a fresh pair of eyes on so we can collaborate.”

Tony turned and looked blankly at the now larger group behind him.

“FRIDAY, what floor are we on?”

“Floor 54 Boss, the intern labs.”

“Right. OK then, Interns, this is Peter Parker, my _personal_ intern, Pete, these are the other interns.”

Peter shyly looked up, “Hi there, um, yeah, I’m Peter, sorry about your board, I was just having a snack and wasn’t really paying attention. I’ll erase it and put it back the way I found it.”

“No!” the first intern exclaimed, frightening both Peter and Tony at the sudden volume of his voice, “We’ve been working on that equation for weeks now and you’ve fixed it! I’m Nick, by the way, where did you graduate from?”

“Um, nowhere yet? I go to Midtown,” Peter replied quietly.

“Pete’s a Junior there this year, though I don’t know why he won’t just graduate early and go to MIT already.”

“Mr. Stark,” Peter whined, “You know why, can we not talk about this again?”

“Alright, fine, Pete. Say goodbye to the other interns and let’s get going, I’ve got things to finish today,” Tony says, as he steers Peter through the door by his shoulder.

“Of course, Mr. Stark!” Peter says apologetically, feeling bad for wasting Tony’s time. Then says in a small voice, as if he’s expecting a no, “Can I come down and visit a different day, though?”

“Any time, Kid, just let me know before you head down, ok? Lab safety, minor children, blah blah blah.” Tony waved his free hand around while speaking, then noticing Peter’s grin. “Just have FRIDAY give me a heads up, yeah?”

Peter nodded, and then they were enclosed by the elevator before anyone else could get a word in about the kid’s brilliance or how Mr. Stark was strangely protective of his personal intern.

The next time Peter was over, Tony was stuck on a conference call from hell. Maybe the call wasn’t that bad, but _Peter was over_ and Pepper was going to kill him if he didn’t get the monkeys that sat on his board to understand his new designs. She had wanted him to fly out to meet with them in person, thankfully it was a Peter week, so he could skip out without bringing her wrath.

While the call droned on, Tony found his attention being drawn to Peter. He was so intently focused on his work, leaning over the table. _He’s going to have a backache from doing that. Maybe the super healing stops bruises on elbows too, as hard as he is leaning on them draped over his work like that._

Tony noticed immediately when FRIDAY started talking with Peter and hoped it would be something important enough to take him off his call. No such luck as Peter smiled at him and waved him off. Fortunately, just as he started paying attention back to his call, one of the Finance guys made a stupid assumption. If he didn't’ get to geek out with Peter, at least he got to yell at someone.

Halfway through his rant on employee safety over profits he notices an alert message from Peter through FRIDAY, he’s asking permission to go visit the interns again. _That’s adorable._ He throws up a thumbs up, knowing Peter’s watching as he continues to chew out this soon to be ex-board member.

_Finally! Death by board meeting is done_ Tony thinks as he first stretches and then swivels his chair around looking for his protegee.

“FRI? Where’s Pete?”

“Peter is on floor 54 currently with a Mr. Yont and Mr. Baures.”

Tony glares at the closest camera, “Who FRIDAY? I’m not pulling up the company directory.”

“Peter is with the interns that you met last week on floor 54. You made it clear last week that he could visit them. He asked you via message approximately 2 hours and 13 minutes ago.”

“Huh. Got a camera feed on that floor for me? Throw it up here so I can keep and eye on him while I finish up these specs.” Tony distractedly looks at his parts rendering, but finds himself drawn to watching Peter laugh and work with these kids. _It’s good for him to find some other smart kids to hang with. None of them are up to Pete’s level, but nice for him to have some friends around here._

Even as distracting as Peter’s laugh is, he’s deep into new gauntlet specs when FRIDAY’s alert pops up. “Sorry Boss, it’s been 4 hours that Peter’s here and has not yet eaten. Per the new Hangry Teenager Protocol, I’m required to let you know.

“Thanks FRIDAY. Will you order Peter’s usual pizza order and get me a spinach, mushroom and ricotta calzone? Also let the kid know that if it gets here before he does, I’m eating his pizza.”

Tony took a moment to straighten his work station before FRIDAY replies, “I have ordered your supper and Peter requests me to tell you that if he makes it to the penthouse before you, he’s going to eat yours.”

Tony laughed as he entered the elevator, “Tell the kid he’s welcome to it.” He’s arrived at his floor before he’s even completed his sentence.

He had just enough time to pop two cans of coke and set them on the table before the doors opened again and he heard Peter call out, teasing him, “Mushrooms and spinach? What kind of monster gets that on a pizza?”

“Monsters that are nearing 50 and cannot eat that much processed meat anymore, that’s who. Go wash up, your pizzas will be here soon you kid. I got what you like, don’t worry about it. Nothing green on your pies tonight.”

Peter’s blinding smile got quickly flashed at him as he rushed off, leaving Tony feeling strangely warm. 

By the beginning of Peter’s senior year, he was in the lab with Tony three days a week. Most of the time was spent in Tony’s personal lab, but he had some projects going with the other interns as well. Jeremy, Nick and Peter could usually be found in the engineering lab trying _not_ to blow things up, which is why Tony had a near heart stopping moment when FRIDAY’s warning first announced that Peter was in Lab 3 and there _had_ been an explosion.

Tony raced down to level 54, uncaring about who saw him running through the desks, fear plainly on his face. “Unlock the door, FRIDAY!” Tony yelled as he slammed the door open. He rushed through, grabbed Peter up off the floor, and smothered him in a gripping hug. After a moment, without releasing Peter, he questioned, “What happened? Are you ok?! Do you hurt anywhere? Do I need Dr. Cho?! FRIDAY! Call Dr. Cho and tell her we need her here right away!”

“No, FRIDAY!” Peter cut in, “I’m _fine_. It was just a minor explosion and everyone’s fine here.”

Peter felt Tony’s arms relax a little. Peter leaned back a small amount, just enough to look at Tony’s face and quietly said to him, “I’m sorry I scared you, Mr. Stark. We’re good. I’m fine. Nothing happened that wasn’t expected. That’s actually why we’re here in Lab 3. The interns call it the boom room.”

Tony, feeling his heart rate slow a little, laughed a little at the name of the room. After pressing a cheek softly to the top of Peter’s head, he released Peter from his hold and moved to drape one arm across Peter’s shoulder instead. “Sure thing, Underoos. Next time, could you maybe let me know before you head into the Boom Room? My heart just can’t take the shock.”

Tony then looked up and addressed the interns, “You guys good too?”

“Of course Mr. Stark.” Nick replied, glancing at Jeremy, wondering what was different this time. Mr. Stark had never come down to the Boom Room before. “We’re great.” Jeremy added when Mr. Stark still hadn’t moved.

“All right, then. Underoos, you need a shower before you head back to May’s or she will really actually kill me this time. _Boom Room_. You guys got the clean up on this?” Tony threw the last question at Jeremy.

“Yep!” he replied, “Got it handled. Mr. Stark. Sorry we blew up your intern, Sir.”

Tony threw a look over his shoulder as he led Peter out, and called, “Dish duty! Both of you!”

It was met with twin groans. The interns hated washing their own dishes in the break room. Who ever had made the biggest mess that week had dish duty, and now it was their turn.

“Come on Mr. Stark,” they heard Peter whine as they walked to the elevator, “that’s not fair, it was my idea.”

Tony laughed, “Great, Pete, you can have dish duty _with_ them.”

All in all, Tony thought that he was doing a pretty good job at this mentoring thing. As they sat and had dinner together, Tony told Peter more about his childhood, less about his party years, but just about his life. In turn, Peter had talked with him about his fears of asking MJ out, and so Tony had helped him pick his suit for their first date. He had then comforted Peter with pizza, ice cream and movies a few months later when they had broken up. Peter quitely, shakily told him he was gay and that he had to tell MJ before it had gone too far. Tony explained that he understood and opened up about being bi himself. A month later, he helped Peter pick out a new hot-date shirt for his first date with Mike.

As acceptance letters started to roll in for Peter from almost every school he applied to, Tony started offering to take him to some Alumni events. It didn’t seem to matter to most schools that Tony hadn’t gone there. _The_ _Tony Stark_ wanted to show up at their party and bring a guest? Not a problem at all!

Tony would have a new suit waiting for Peter along with new shoes, shades and cufflinks to match for every event. The last party was MIT’s, and of course Tony wanted Peter to go there, so he made extra effort in the outfit for that evening.

Tony escorted Peter around all evening with his hand on the small of Peter’s back, introducing him to everyone as his protege. On the drive home that night, Peter told Tony that he would go to MIT because he knew that it was Tony’s first choice. Tony was ecstatic and announced that he already had set up his scholarship, so Peter had nothing to worry about. Peter just smiled fondly at Tony, settled back into his plush seat and agreed to let Tony handle it all.

For a graduation gift, Tony gave Peter a photo of the sunset over the ocean.

“What’s this?” Peter asked excitedly.

“Would you like to go see this? I’ve got a home on the beach. Would you like to take a little vacation?” Tony asked.

“Yes!” Peter exclaimed as he threw his arms around Tony.

“Alright, I have it all set up and cleared with May. You’ll have a few weeks here to spend with her and your friends, and I’ll come pick you up July 20th for your vacation. I’ll have you home just in time for freshman orientation.” Tony said with a grin.

Peter dropped his arms while Tony was talking and his face lost a little of his smile.

“Just my vacation? Are you not coming?” Peter said with almost a pout.

“Of course I’m coming!” Tony said with a laugh, “You think I would leave you in Malibu all alone for you to get into trouble? I’m just going to be working some while we’re there, so it’s your vacation, my temporary relocation.”

With his full smile returned, Peter hugged him again, “Thanks Mr. Stark.”

The flight to California was smooth and quick in Tony’s jet. Tony threw a small duffle at Peter about 15 minutes before landing and told him that he maybe should go change. Peter took out the shorts, tank top, sandals and sunglasses and went to change with only a small protest. “You know that I brought my own clothes right? You don’t have to keep buying me new ones.”

“I know that Pete, it's just that these are beach clothes! And you’ve never been to the beach here before. It’s special.”

“Ok Mr. Stark, if you say so,” Peter said, shaking his head in exasperation.

He came out a few minutes later and said with a spin, “How do I look? Enough like a beach bum for you?”

“Those are Tom Ford, so probably not exactly a beach _bum_, but you’ll fit in,” Tony said with an eyebrow raised and a slight grin.

“The sunglasses? You know that I break almost every pair of sunglasses I have. Why would you give me a hundred dollar sunglasses?” Peter said as he freaked out a little.

“Add another zero kiddo,” Tony stated as Peter’s jaw dropped. “Now put them in your pocket and come sit. We’re landing.” Peter sat but held the glasses in his hands carefully.

After the plane taxied to a stop, Tony and Peter walked to the top of the stairs. Tony plucked the glasses out of Peter’s hands and slid them carefully on his face. “There, they fit just right.” Tony paused, “You look perfect, Peter.” Tony turned and took off down the steps toward the car as Peter stood there, completely frozen with shock.

“Ride’s leaving, Pete! If you’re coming to the beach with me, you better get a move on!” Tony yelled from the driver’s seat of the convertible. Peter jumped down the steps and into the car just as Tony started it up.

“Good boy,” Tony commented as they pulled away.

For the first two weeks, Tony spent a lot of time in his workshop.Sometimes Peter joined him. They worked in a comfortable quiet between them, even with music on. Tony thought that it was uncanny how Peter seemed to join him just when he needed him, and then left him alone when he needed to concentrate.

Outside of the workshop, Peter spent a lot of time at the beach or in Tony’s private pool. Peter found the gym on day three and then gave himself a good workout everyday, since he’s not swinging around. They often had supper together in front of the TV, talked about their day and made plans for the next day. Peter, who had decided to take a ton of pictures while he was here, usually showed Tony what he had taken that day. He’d even started taking some with Tony’s phone during the day, saying that Tony needed to have some memories of their vacation too. Tony did take Peter to a few movies and out for dinner a few times. Though the paparazzi were more tenacious there, so when they were out, Peter spent most of his time tucked under Tony’s arm walking from the car to the door of wherever they were going.

One day at breakfast, Tony said, “Pete, it’s your birthday next week. Wanna make some plans? Should we have a big party? You’re turning 18, so still no drinking, but we could invite some people over?”

“Actually Mr. Stark, could we just have the day to ourselves?” Peter suggested in a quiet hopeful voice.

“We do that every day Pete,” Tony whined as he rested his head on his hand, elbow on the table. “It’s your birthday! Pick something _special_. You can pick anything, I’ll get you anything you want.” Tony said in a teasing tone.

Peter looked up, blushing, and shyly said, “Could I hang out with you all day? We could head to the beach, or just hang out by the pool?”

Tony, slightly taken aback at the tension now in the room, “Sure, Kid, if you want to spend all day hanging out with an old guy like me, I won’t say no.”

“Mr. Stark, you’re not old!” Peter said with a laugh. Tony joined him with a chuckle.

“You’re too nice, Peter,” Tony replied as he headed out of the dining room and down the hall.

“Yes, I am!” He finished in a singsong voice as he disappeared down the steps.

The morning of Peter’s birthday was hot and clear, so they ate breakfast in the shade on the deck before deciding what to do with their day. No lab time was the only request for the day. Peter told Tony that as much as he loved working in the workshop, today was about having fun outside, together.

By mid-morning, they had each been in the pool for hours and Tony had declared himself winner of the splash war. Tony had moved off to a lounge chair in the shade with his tablet while Peter was laying on his stomach in the sun.

“Don’t get burnt.” Tony warns, glancing over, but then has to stop and really look at Peter laying there in the sun. His hair had gotten long, it was curling around his head as it was drying. And he was so tan… _God, I love him_ Tony said to himself, which brought his train of thought to a screeching halt.

“I won’t,” Peter replied as he turned to smile brightly at Tony.

That smile- Peter was _beautiful_.

Tony felt like his heart was skipping, still staring with wide eyes at Peter.

How had he never seen this before?

When had his little Peter grown up from that gangly boy he first met?

_I love him?_

_...I can’t love him, he’s too young and perfect and sweet and special and oh god, I’m screwed._

“What am I going to do?” Tony whispered to himself.

“What was that?” Peter asked as he slid up off the lounge chair and started walking towards Tony.

“I said where did you get those shorts?” Tony asked as he tried to stop looking at Peter and licked his lips, trying to moisten them enough to swallow. Peter was close now, walking slowly up to him.

“Do you like them?” Peter asked with a coy smile. “I know they’re not a pair you bought for me, and I know you like to see me in things you buy, but I got these just for you.”

While talking, Peter had climbed onto Tony’s chair, one knee on either side of Tony’s knees. Tony was still trying to take in the fact that he might have feelings for Peter, when he played back in his head what Peter had just said.

“Wait, what?” Tony questioned, blinking up at Peter.

“You can’t deny it, Mr. Stark. I can see your eyes light up every time I wear something that you buy me.”

“No, I...” Tony tried to interject as Peter shuffled in a little closer to his lap.

“And you touch me more when I wear your things. Your hand on my back or around my shoulders.”

“I do? No, I just..” Tony’s words cut off when he felt Peter pressed up against him.

“And I like it, Mr. Stark. I like it when you buy me things, and when you touch me, when you tell me that I’m perfect.”

“I did? Really, I didn’t mean it like..”

“You didn’t mean to tell me I’m a good boy?” Peter pauses, then continues with a stronger voice, “You didn’t mean to show me off to all of your friends, me wearing your colors? You didn’t mean to cuddle up with me on the couch every night and let me hand you things in the workshop?”

Tony sat frozen, mind whirling a million miles an hour. _Did I do that?_ he thinks, _I remember the night of the Alumni party, oh, red and gold tie and cuff links. I did. And I do call him a good boy when he follows my directions. But I didn’t mean it like...oh, maybe I did. He always smiles so pretty when I say that. And the clothes, I just want him to have nice things that fit him, because I hate the way his baggy clothes hide his body. Shit. How long has this been happening?_

“Tony,” Peter said quietly, as if he was trying it out loud for the first time after intently watching all of Tony's expressions and feelings cross his face. It jolted Tony from his internal storm and he became aware of a warm body on his lap and hands delicately holding his cheeks.

“Peter,” Tony groaned, looking up at Peter. His hands found Peter’s hips, which Peter took as a form of encouragement.

“Tony, I think I love you,” Peter said breathlessly.

“But what about _Mike_?” Tony questioned, still trying to get a handle on his emotions.

“We broke up months ago! He wasn’t what I needed, he wasn’t you.” Peter said almost with a purr. But then Peter sits up and leans back just a little, questioning, “Didn’t you notice that I started coming to the tower more often?”

“Well, yeah, but I just thought you were busy with a project! For a while I thought you just really liked working downstairs with the other interns...”

“It was so I could see you. So I could be with you,” Peter interrupted as he pressed his forehead against Tony’s, hearing the jealousy in Tony's voice. Tony took a moment to just have this, eyes closed, pressed so close to Peter’s sun kissed body.

“I think I care for you, too, Peter,” Tony finally said after a minute, but he backed his head away and moved his hands back to the armrests of his chair. “But we can’t, you know that right? I can’t be what you need.”

Peter looked like he was going to argue for a moment, but then sighedand reached for Tony’s hands. “So then, let me have this. Please. For my birthday. Please Tony, it’ll be alright, just the one kiss, I promise.”

Tony squeezed his hands gently, nodded once and kissed Peter.

At first it was a slow brush of lips. Peter reached up with one hand and laced his fingers through the back of Tony’s hair, pulling a little, making Tony groan, allowing Peter to slip his tongue into Tony’s mouth, tasting him for the first time. Peter ground down on Tony’s lap as he held Tony close to him. He felt Tony’s hands answering him by gripping his left hip firmly and the other running up his back. They kissed until Peter had to pull away to breathe, and then the moment was gone.

Peter leaned back and gave Tony some space. “Are you sure we can’t?” Peter asked one more time. “Because I know that I love you, and I’m sure that you love me too. We could make it work.”

Tony sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “I can’t, Peter, I just can’t. Please don’t push, there’s just too much.”

“Too much _what_?” Peter whined while still slowly circling his hips on Tony’s.

Tony grabbed his hips to stop them, struggling not to roll up into Peter’s warmth. “Too much everything, Pete. Too much space between our ages, too much difference in our lives. What will people say?”

“I don’t care what people say!” Peter exclaims. He tucks his head down and quietly adds, “I _like_ it that you’re older. You can make it good for me, take care of me. Not like boys my age could.”

Tony went still, then shoved Peter off to the side so he could stand. “Is that what you want? You want someone to take care of you? That’s what you see in this?”

Tony walked to the side of the pool and looked back at Peter still flopped over on the chair. “You want people to see you all dressed up for me?” He doesn’t give Peter a chance to reply before steamrolling on, “You want people to imagine what you did to earn that from me? You want to be known as my sugar baby? Because Baby, that’s what’s going to happen.” 

Tony felt his heart jump a bit at the pet name, knowing that no one else would ever fit it as well as Peter did. Trying to make a point, he pushed on, practically snarling at Peter, “You’ll be followed, they’ll shove microphones in your face, they’ll find that Flash kid from school and ask him what you were like then, if you got special treatment when you were just a kid. If I took advantage of you. They’ll follow May around and ask her what kind of parent lets their kid do this sort of thing? You want her to have to deal with that?”

Tony took a single step toward Peter, spitting, “That’s what you want?”

Peter was stunned at Tony’s verbal explosion and couldn’t answer before Tony barked out, “Have you, for one second, thought that maybe that's not what_ I_ want?”

Tony stared at Peter’s frozen face, waiting for just a few heartbeats, before audibly scoffing and shaking his head at Peter’s lack of response. Spinning around to face the water, he didn’t see Peter shakily stand and wrap a towel around himself, but he did hear him quietly say, “Sure, right then, sorry I got it wrong. I guess I’ll go change, I’ll, uhm, see you later.”

Tony quickly glanced back and thought he saw Peter reach up and brush away a tear as he entered the house.

“It is,” Tony mumbled to himself, sitting down on a different chair, “it is what I want and that’s what’s horrible. You shouldn’t have to go through all that for me. Oh Pete,” he sighed, “I’m just not worth it.”

He didn’t see Peter again that evening, even though Peter’s favorite meal had been delivered. Tony walked with it to Peter’s room and knocked softly but FRIDAY said Peter requested not to be disturbed. Tony felt bad about the whole situation and left the plate on the floor outside of Peter’s room.

The next day, he woke to FRIDAY passing on a request from Peter that they leave today and not at the end of the week as planned. Tony headed to Peter’s door, found it still locked and just quietly agreed to have everything ready by that afternoon via FRIDAY.

By 2 o'clock, when it was time to leave, Peter came out of his room with only a small duffle, wearing clothes that looked at least a size too large. His face was blank and seemingly emotionless, and he walked right out to the car without talking to Tony as he passed.

Once on the plane, the difference was striking. On the way out, Peter sat right next to him, they talked about suits and friends and Star Wars. Now, Peter sat at the very back of the plane, about as far away as he could get, and was silent the whole ride back.

After the plane landed and the door opened, Peter walked up to where Tony was slouched in his seat and quietly said “Goodbye Tony. Thanks for this amazing vacation. I’ll never forget it.”

Figuring that he had plenty of time on the ride from the airport to Queens to clear the air, Tony took his time collecting his jacket and shades before he ambled toward the door. He made it there just in time to see Peter settled into a waiting taxi, before it drove off.

Tony almost stumbles down the stairs in his haste and demands from Happy, “What was a taxi doing here? I thought you were picking us up?” _I thought I had more time with him._

Happy replied, “I was planning to, but it showed up here just on time saying that Peter had contacted them. What’s going on?”

“Nothing Hap, he just needs a little down time.” Tony says with a sigh, "I’ll call him soon and we’ll work it out, ok?”

“Whatever you say, Boss.”

It actually took Tony three and a half weeks to find the courage to call Peter. At first he put it off to give Peter some time. Then his excuse was that it was moving day, and then the beginning of the semester hit so he told himself he’d better let Peter have some time to get adjusted with classes.

“FRIDAY, call Peter.” Tony finally barked out, tinkering in the lab to keep his fingers busy.

“I’m sorry, Boss, the line has been disconnected.”

“What? What do you mean? Where’s Peter’s phone?" demanded Tony, panic and worry clear in his voice.

“According to records, Peter contacted the provider to get a different number. Currently, Peter’s assigned StarkPhone is in your house in Malibu.”

“He left it there? He never goes anywhere without his phone. What about the suit? Does Karen still let you have access to that?”

FRIDAY replied, “The SpiderMan suit is currently in Queens, dormant as far as the log shows. Karen has not been active since before the trip to Malibu.”

Tony grumbled, “At least I know where he is. FRIDAY, get ready to fly to Cambridge.”

When Tony arrived at MIT, he disengaged the suit back into its nanobot casing, and walked into the administration building. He knew that he set Peter up for a single apartment, but he wasn’t sure which _one_. Heading right into the housing administrative office, he stopped at the desk, “Hi there, I’m Tony Stark, in case you didn’t know that already, and I’m looking for a student, Peter Parker. He’s a freshman here and he left his phone at my house. I just want to return it to him.”

The starstruck older lady searched for Peter in the enrollment system right away. After a minute, she looked worried, replying fearfully, “Sorry Mr. Iron Man, I mean Mr. Stark, sir, but we don’t have a Peter Parker attending right now.”

“Um, yes, you do. I paid for his tuition,” Tony informed her brusquely.

“I’m sorry, sir! I really shouldn’t be telling you anything, you have to understand sir, I could lose my job.” She looked near tears as Tony swiped off his tinted glasses and glared at her. She takes a shaky breath and buckles, “Um, all I can see here is that there was a Peter Parker enrolled, but about 3 weeks ago Mr. Parker called to cancel his enrollment here at MIT. Again, I’m sorry, sir, if you have a question about your tuition payment, you could speak with the Financial Aid office on level 3?”

“Huh. Um no, thanks, I’m sure it will be fine.” Tony replied, slipping his glasses back on before heading out of the office. As soon as he stepped out the doors, he tapped his nanobot housing and suited up.

“FRIDAY, find me Peter,” he barked

“Locating Peter Parker…”

A whole day of Tony pacing in his workshop later, FRIDAY finally announced, “Boss, I have searched through enrollment data for every university, private and state, and finally found a Peter Parker enrolled at Queens College, Major not yet determined. He seems to be living on campus. I’ll send the address that is listed in his file to your phone.”

“All right, let’s go talk to him.”

Tony took a car rather than a suit this time, since it was just over the river. Arriving at the address FRIDAY had supplied, Tony stepped out and took a moment to look around. Garbage in the gutter, beer cans in the yard, compared to the housing Tony had chosen for Peter in Cambridge, this place was a dump. Tony supposes for undergrad student housing, it’s probably pretty standard, but _there are window air conditioners! Do they still even make those?_

“No street parking, FRIDAY. Pay any parking tickets before Pepper sees them for me will ya? God, what is that smell? I’ve got to get inside. You think it’s better inside?”

“Probably not, Boss,” FRIDAY chips in helpfully.

With a little bit of finagling at the main door, he headed up to Peter Parker’s floor. Tony knocked on the door of the apartment with a single knuckle, barely wanting to touch the door.

_Smell’s not better..I cannot believe that my Peter, I mean, Peter lives here._ Tony thinks as he waits for someone to open the door.

After a banging noise, some swearing and some shuffling, the door opened with the chain still attached. A greasy looking kid asked, “Whatcha want?”

“Does Peter Parker live here? Is he home?” Tony asked, trying not to let his temper get the best of him. He could be calm for Peter, he has to talk some sense into the boy, so Peter can be moved into his nice apartment in Cambridge and start soon at a school that is actually worthy of having Peter as a student.

“Who’z azkin?” the roommate drawls.

“Tony Stark is asking, dimwit, did you not look to see who you’re talking to?” Tony growled out, “Is Peter here, Yes or No?”

“Nah, Petey’s not here and he said to tell youz if youz came by to goez home and leaves us alone.”

“Not gunna happen kid. Now unlock this door before I smash it in.”

“Is there a problem, sir?” came a serious sounding voice from behind Tony just as he was about to tap his watch into a gauntlet. Tony turned and saw a security guard standing there with his hand braced loosely on his unsnapped holster.

Turning the charm on, Tony said, “Not at all, officer, I’m just trying to talk with my wayward protege about his choice of schools, but his roommate won’t let me in.”

“I see,” said the officer, “we got notified that someone messed with the card reader on the door to get in, that wouldn’t have been you, was it?”

“Well, just testing out the security of the building, you see! You passed with flying colors, yay, you. So I’m just going to go back to finding Peter and we’ll be set.”

“I think you need to head on down and out of this building, Mr. Stark.” said the security guard firmly, directing Tony down the hallway.Of all the times for someone to not be starstruck by Tony Stark’s celebrity.

“See kid, at least someone knows who I am." He shook the man's hand off his shoulder. "God, fine. I’ll head down with you and we can talk about finding my Peter- I mean Peter Parker, my protege.”

Tony and the guard walked down to the door where there was a small group of people had collected near his car. Maybe he shouldn’t have driven the Maserati. Tony pasted on his best media smile and waved at the kids standing around. He saw a smaller head covered in a hoodie sneaking behind the group.

“Pete!” he called out, and made eye contact with Peter from across the grass. His face was thin and pale, like he hadn’t slept in weeks, his eyes looked bloodshot, but he ducked down quickly and raced through the crowd and slipped in the door.

The guard noticed Peter too. He waved at the crowd and turned to Tony. “I suppose this is you too?” At Tony’s nod, the guard rolled his eyes, turned and loudly whistled through his fingers at the kids, “You all have better places to be! Get a move on before it has to be towed!”

The guard then turned to Tony and said in a low private voice, “I know that kid, the one you called out to. He’s friendly and wonderful with everyone. You come around here, everyone knows your name, showing off your car like a big shot, he sees you and tries to avoid you?Makes me think maybe you’re the reason he looks like that, in which case you better get moving. If this is your fault, then I don’t want to see you around here again. Got it?”

Still dazed at the sight of Peter, Tony agreed, walking aimlessly back to his car. Driving home on what must have been mostly FRIDAY’s autopilot, he sunk into his chair and sighed, “FRIDAY, I’m going to get him back, but tonight, lock it down ok?” He reached for the bottle on the table next to him and drank without a glass.

The next morning, FRIDAY woke him with news. “Boss, you have an incoming email from what appears to be Mr. Parker.”

Groaning with the headache from his hangover, he said, “Read it for me baby girl.”

“Dear Mr. Stark,

I’m sorry that I did not live up to your expectations. I couldn’t go to the school that would always remind me of you, knowing that the only reason I was going is because you asked me to. I’ll make my own way here. No one knows me or my extracurricular activities here.

Please don’t come find me again. I’ll reach out when, and if, I’m ever ready.

With love, always yours,

Peter”

“Oh, FRIDAY,” sighed Tony, “ I fucked up everything anyway, didn’t I?”

“It appears so, Boss”

Even after Peter asked him not to, Tony kept track of him. He watched his grades, found him in other people's social media posts. Peter had started looking better. Smiling more.

Tony secretly created a scholarship fund for only one recipient that couldn’t be traced back to him. He had to help when he saw that Peter was struggling. He even tried to pay off May’s apartment. But May showed up a week later, full of righteous fury and slammed a check down on the lobby’s desk. She looked right into the security camera on the ceiling and said, “Tell him I say no.”

So he didn’t try that again.

A few months later, Rhodey stopped by one evening and pulled the bottle out of Tony’s fingers. “Whatever you did, whatever happened, you’ve got to give it up. You’ve got to get over it and start living your life again. You can’t keep doing this to yourself. It’s not ok, man.”

Tony stared at him a bit, shook himself out of his stupor and said, “Yeah, ok. FRIDAY? Cut me off.”

“Yes, Boss.”

It took Tony a while to get back into the swing of things. Not drinking and not looking up Peter allowed him a lot more hours in his day, so he started bothering Pepper to be a part of projects again. She started sending him to meetings again and on business trips. He found pretty people to spend the night with occasionally, but none that ever bumped Peter from his place in Tony’s heart.

He let himself look at the pictures from that vacation only once a month and locked them in a file on his phone. They are too much of a distraction for him otherwise. He could see, looking back, how his behaviour caused this whole mess. He obviously loved Peter for a lot longer than he thought, based on actions alone. Peter was right to think that Tony wanted him. He just wasn’t brave enough to act on it.

Peter had been just 18, legal, but what would everyone say? The press and the paparazzi, not to mention May...he didn’t care what they said about _him_, but he was afraid of how it would affect Peter. It could ruin Peter’s life and Tony didn’t think that he was worth it. Peter was perfect and amazing and he could do so much better than Tony. 

Tony decided that if Peter ever came back, he would do everything in his power to make sure that Peter knew that he loved him. And then he’d work like hell to try to keep him.

~~~

Sitting at the table in the corner, watching Peter smile at his date, touch his hand and blush at whatever the kid said, Tony had never felt so alone.

His Peter, his love, looking like he is happy with someone else. Tony closed the photo of him and Peter, and brought up the text to Pepper again. He messaged her that he didn’t feel well and that he was leaving. Not waiting for a response, he stopped at the host stand on the way out and paid for his drink and for the entire bill for Peter’s table.

It was the least he could do.


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have a happy ending!

After leaving the restaurant, Tony walks right past the valet calling out to him knowing FRIDAY will have the car brought home later. He heads to the park, thinking of all the missed opportunities. Dates that he could have taken Peter on, clothes he’s seen during fashion week that would have been perfect for him, parties that he could have shown him off at. But also quiet nights together on the couch, time in the lab working on whatever Peter wanted. Tony thinks of all of the amazing things they could have accomplished together.

After an hour walking the paths of the park with his suit coat on, Tony’s hot and exhausted. He didn’t often let himself daydream about what life could have been with Peter, but dark or not, August in New York was a humid mess. He pulls out his phone, texts Happy to come get him and heads back toward the street.

When Happy pulls up and he gets in, Tony’s surprised to see the partition open. “What did you do?” Happy demands, turned in his seat facing Tony.

“Um, skipped dinner and went for a walk? Did Pepper call you? I know she said this dinner was..” “The kid’s at the tower.” Happy interrupts and Tony freezes, sentence half out of his mouth.

“_What?_” Tony feels as he’s been punched in the gut, “Did you see him? Was he ok?” Tony’s mind is stuttering with the mess of his thoughts. “I mean, he looked ok when I saw him, he looked happy! He was smiling and laughing and..”

“Tony!” Happy scolds, interrupting his mumbling again, “What do you mean you saw him?”

Tony had never shared with Happy the real reason that Peter stopped coming to the tower, he just couldn’t share with Happy, one of the only people who stood with him after all these years that he was in love with the boy. He knows that Happy liked the kid, and was also sad when Peter stopped visiting. So Tony explains, “I didn’t know he’d be there! Pepper set me up at this restaurant, I was supposed to meet someone for her and saw Peter in the back with, I’m assuming, his boyfriend.” Tony sighs as he sinks back into his seat, “He looked so happy, laughing with the other kid. I tried to not watch him, but I haven’t seen him in so long, I just miss him you know?”

“Yeah Tony, I know. I miss him too.” Happy replies sadly, “but what happened Boss? Why, after all this time did he show up today?”

“I don’t know! I really don’t Happy, I mean, I paid their bill on the way out, but he couldn't have known it was me, he didn’t look over even once! And I told the kid at the host stand not to tell, she promised.” Tony replied as he rubbed his forehead with his hand, the air conditioning sapping away his energy with the heat. “We better not keep him waiting any longer. What did you say to him?”

“I haven’t said anything to him. FRIDAY alerted me just after you texted that he was entering the building. His access codes and permissions are still good for security, but she thought I should know since it’s been years since he’s used them.” Happy states as he pulls out into traffic, heading back toward the tower.

As Happy pulls into the garage and idles near the elevator doors, Tony still hasn’t moved from his slouch on the seat, elbow on the arm rest and head in his hand.

“I know you never told me what happened Boss, but anyone with eyes could see that he cared about you and that you cared about him back, if not maybe even loved him.” Tony’s head snaps up and Happy raises his hand to stop him from denying it, “I didn’t think it was bad then, and I’m not going to judge you for it now because you were so happy with him here. I hadn’t seen that part of you in years and if it was Peter that caused it, then I wasn’t going to pull it away from you. But these last few years have been miserable. So you go upstairs and do whatever you can to get him back. I can’t take much more of your sulking.” Happy says pointing his finger at Tony in the back, “Got it?”

“Yep. Got it Hap. I um, I do love, I mean did, I mean, I don’t know. I’m not sure what to do. He asked me to stay away until he chose to let me back in, and I didn’t. I didn’t listen to him and I’m sure he’s here just to tell me off and I’m just not sure I can take him leaving again.”

Happy just raises his eyebrows at Tony and then points to the door.

“Yeah, ok. Going. See ya later?” Tony questions as he’s opening the door.

“You know where to find me.” Happy replies as he turns back toward the wheel, ready to pull off and park, done with emotions for the night.

Tony enters the elevator and asks FRIDAY to bring him to Peter, trusting FRIDAY deliver him to the correct floor, since she was the one that brought Peter up after all. Tony takes a deep breath as the door opens and braces himself for the first words with Peter in over a year. He steps out, and looks up to see Peter in the same dressy, too large on him, clothes that he was wearing at the restaurant. Peter’s standing, facing away from the door, with his hands in his pockets, looking out into the night sky.

Tony’s only taken a few steps into the room but drinks in the changes he see’s in Peter. He’s taller, wider in the shoulders, being 21 now rather than 18. His heart is racing at being so close to him, still a room apart, but closer than they have been in what feels like forever.

“I can hear your heartbeat from here,” Peter says as he turns from the window, “I didn’t come all the way here to watch you have a heart attack. Sit?”

“If you’re going to yell at me,” Tony squeeks out, then clears his throat and tries again, “I’d rather stand, if that’s all the same to you.”

Peter stares at him for a bit before shaking his head and walking toward an armchair. “I had thought about it, yelling at you. I have screamed it in my head so many times.” Peter sits and gestures to Tony to sit across from him, like it’s his chair to offer, and then continues, “You made me feel like nothing, like less than nothing that day. Like I had everything I’d ever wanted just yanked away from me in a blink. I was sad, no more than sad, distraught maybe is a good word for it. But I asked you to give me space and time and you didn’t. You just took what you wanted without any concern about how it made me feel.”

Tony steps closer with a rebuttal on his lips, a desperate look on his face, and tries to explain.

“No” Peter says sharply, and Tony’s jaw snaps closed. “My turn to talk, you’ve had your say. I can excuse some of your behavior since I walked away, trying to make up for your choices with money. Trying to pay off May’s mortgage. At the time it made me so angry, I never wanted your money Tony. You accused me of wanting to be a sugar baby and then you go and do something like that.”

“I’m sorry,” Tony whispers, causing Peter to pause and look at Tony standing there with his head hanging down, still halfway between the door and the chair Peter offered him, “I’m so sorry Peter. I know I was wrong. It took me a long time to understand why I did what I did.” Tony glances up and sees Peter’s surprised looking face, and he starts to walk toward the chair, speaking louder now. “I was so afraid that you’d find out I wasn’t worth it. I’m not Peter, I’m not worth it, but how I showed you was wrong. I shouldn’t have said those things about you and May.”

Tony slumps into the chair across from Peter and continues, “I tried to apologize. I tried Peter, I went to MIT to find you, then again that day I saw you at your school. You looked so sad. I’m so sorry Peter.” 

Peter just stares at Tony for a while. Seemingly debating internally if he wants to keep questioning him.

“I had this all worked out in my head. I was going to call you out on all your shit, say my piece and walk out again. I deserved better. I still deserve better. I never expected you to apologize to me like this.”

Tony, looking almost distraught at the thought of Peter leaving again, slides forward in his chair, ready to stand but Peter holds up his hand and Tony just waits.

“Would you have done anything differently if you could do it again Tony?” asks Peter gently. “I’ve thought about that day so many times, what I could have said back to you, what I should have done. Have you thought about it?”

“So many times,” Tony replies after a moment of quiet, “So many times Pete. I still think it would have been dangerous for you, that you would have decided that it wasn’t worth it in the end, but I should have explained it, told you what would happen rather than get angry like that.”

“So let’s have a do-over.” Peter states as he stands up, “I’ve wanted to do that day over so many times, you do too. Let’s do it differently this time. But Tony, I need you to tell me the truth. The truth about what you feel and what you want. If you lie to me or try to force my hand, I’m done. I’m walking right out of that door. Got it?”

Tony leans back and stares up at Peter who had walked over to him. For a moment, Tony thinks _When did he grow up? My Peter would have never stood up to me like that,_ but says out loud, “um, yeah, I mean yes Peter. I’m willing to try it if you are, and I won't lie to you about anything. You too? The truth?”

“Yeah Tony. There’s a lot that I want to say to you about that day. I won't lie about any of it. Now, where were we...” he says as he kneels on either side of Tony’s legs on his chair, thankfully wide enough to fit both of them, and rests his hands on Tony’s shoulders. “Here maybe? I had just told you that I loved you and you just promised not to lie to me, so your turn.”

“I love you too, I mean loved, no, love you too.” Tony stumbles with his words as he looks up into Peter’s face. He sees how much he’s missed looking at Peter, the fine lines around his eyes, how tired he looks, but he thinks about how much worse it could be. “I only want what's best for you and I know that the reporters and the press will be relentless. They will hurt you and dig in your past and follow you. They’ll follow May and make her an example of poor parenting. You won't be able to swing around and save the day without constantly looking over your shoulder to see if someone is there watching. I know that I’m not worth all the trouble that it would cause you. And in the spirit of full disclosure, I’m not sure I can take you leaving me. I just can’t handle it. I know how badly I did in the months after you left years ago, and I didn’t even have you then to lose. I’m just not that strong.” By the end, Tony was almost whispering, like Peter was pulling his deepest secrets out of him.

“Who says you get to choose?” Peter asks calmly, “Who says you know what I can or cannot handle? Who says that you know what May can and cannot handle? Do you really think she didn’t know?”

Tony startles at that, but Peter presses on, “You know that I’m horrible at secrets. She knew I loved you before I did, and she still let me go on vacation with you. We talked about waiting until my birthday, to make sure that you weren’t pressured into anything illegal.”

Tony lets out a short huff of laughter, “No wonder she was so mad at me.”

Peter almost laughs, “You don’t know the half of it. I had to web her hand to the couch so she didn’t come over and murder you that first week.” She was the one that helped me with college and the new phone. Thankfully that scholarship came through so late, she was in the process of taking a second mortgage out to pay for school.”

At that, Tony twitches, wide eyed and tries to look away to hide his face. Peter catches the look of guilt that flashes across Tony's face and asks, “I chose not to take the MIT money Tony, you don’t need to feel bad for that. We were fine.” But Tony still was hiding his face. “What Tony? You promised to not lie to me. What is that look for?”

“Pete..” he breathes out a deep sigh, “I.. there isn’t a Fallenstein Scholarship fund.” Tony mumbles.

Peter looks confused, “Yes there is, that’s what… Tony, what did you do?”

Tony’s silent, head tipped down, so Peter presses a gentle finger to the bottom of his chin, tipping Tony’s head up to face him, “Tony, what?”

Seeing Peter, face full of confusion made Tony spill it all. “I made it up, just for you. I paid your tuition. There isn’t a Fallenstein Scholarship, it’s just a name I made up so you wouldn't know it was me. I know you told me to stay away, but I couldn't just let you go! I knew you could do it on your own, I just couldn't let you. I didn’t put any conditions on the scholarship, I didn’t want to control you, I just had to do it. I was so sorry that I pushed you away, I thought you would come back once you had decided I wasn’t worth it, we could let it settle and you could be my protege again. It would’ve killed me, but I would have done it for you. Pretended.”

Peter gathers Tony in his arms and tips Tony’s head to rest on his chest. “I could never decide you weren’t worth it Tony. You didn't have the right to choose then, and you don’t have the right to make that choice now. I haven’t gotten over you, every relationship I’ve had, I’ve held up to you. Even my first boyfriend broke up with me because I talked too much about you.”

Tony pulls away just enough to look up at Peter. “You never told me that, about Mike” he murmurs, “I’m sorry.”

“I never wanted you to know.” Peter replies, “but now that you do, there’s never been anyone else. Just you Tony.”

“But what about the boy at the table? I thought you were with him, you looked so happy together,” Tony questions, “and why are you here now? I mean, I’m happy to see you, you can come here whenever you want, but weren’t you out with him tonight?”

“First, that was Jeff, and he’s my best friend. We’re not together, and won't ever be, but he knows what it’s like to love someone he can’t have.” Peter’s hand wanders up into the back of Tony’s hair, and he continues, “I’m here because after I saw you tonight, I knew you were still it for me. But I was still _so mad_. Jeff convinced me I had come resolve _something_. This situation has been this shadow over my entire life, it’s affected every choice I’ve made since that day at the beach house. And when we found out that you paid for our dinner, I just had to come.”

“How did you know I was there? I watched you, and you never looked over. You looked so happy with him, I couldn’t interrupt.” Tony asks, tipping his head further into Peter’s hand.

“You think I couldn't tell the minute you walked in the room?” Peter snorts a little, “Tony, I’ve always been able to tell if you’re close. I could blame it on the spider sense, but I think it's just you. As for why we were out tonight, it was to celebrate my birthday.”

“But your birthday was 2 weeks ago,” Tony questions, “Why go out today?”

“Well,” Peter replies quietly, “The last birthday I celebrated didn’t turn out that well, I didn’t get what I wanted. I haven’t celebrated it on my actual birthday since.”

“Oh Baby,” Tony whispers as he pulls Peter into a hug, “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I hurt you. I told you that I’m no good for you. I just can’t be, I just..”

“Tony stop.” Peter cuts him off.“You don’t get to choose for me. I choose to love you. I chose to come back tonight to see you. I am old enough to make this choice.” Peter shifts a little to look Tony in the eye, “I understand about the reporters, we’ll deal with that as it comes. I’m not a kid anymore. May can deal with them too, if we need to, she can have someone for security. I choose this. I choose you. What do you choose?”

Tony leans up, and brushes one thumb across Peter’s cheek. “For the last almost 2 years, all I’ve had was your picture on my cell phone, and all my memories in my head, good and bad. I want you here with me. I choose you too, Baby. I love you Peter.” and then he kisses him gently, happy for the first time in years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to come, mostly written, maybe next week?

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter 2 gives a happy ending, but I feel like the first chapter can stand alone for some angsty sad feels.


End file.
